Lifehouse seems like one of those bands that, by all accounts, should have had a rather limited shelf-life. They emerged at the height of post-grunge's popularity, taking mainstream radio by storm with first album No Name Face and its monolithic single "Hanging by a Moment", plus a few mildly respectable follow-ups, only for the world at large to decide they weren't really as interested in Stanley Climbfall the following year, which upped the tempo and density of their sound while also experimenting a bit, and apparently alienating the segment of their audience that preferred singer Jason Wade's more sensitive side. By the time their third, self-titled album came out, even though I had been making a good faith effort to support them through what most everyone saw as a sophomore slump, I came quite close to giving up on them altogether, as the band got reconfigured a bit and they churned out a disc mostly stuffed with nondescript and vaguely depressing mid-tempo songs. I really went out on a limb with my harsh criticism of that album, because apparently it revived their career in everyone else's eyes, with its lead single "You and Me" becoming their most successful song since "Hanging by a Moment", despite the fact that I hated that song and despite the fact that nothing else on the album resembled it in any way, shape, or form. It was a single sappy love song, alone in the wilderness. The somewhat rock-oriented "Blind" was the only song that really grabbed me on that album, and it seemed to do reasonably well, too, but not to the extent that I was holding out a lot of hope for their fourth album.

And then Who We Are arrived in the summer of 2007, and I had two thoughts: (1) That's an awfully generic title for an album in a genre where the band is already pushing their luck trying to stand out, and (2) The last line of the final song on Lifehouse stated that "These times when the world falls apart make us who we are." So basically, I could expect Who We Are to be a continuation of the same themes, and to be just as dull and frustrating to listen to. Honestly, if it wasn't for some friends who caught them on their tour with the Goo Goo Dolls and reported that the new material seemed to have a lot more life to it, I'm not even sure I would have bothered to listen this time around. But listen I did, and you know what I've found? It's actually not half-bad.

OK, so "actually not half-bad" isn't the sort of descriptor that is going to make you run out and buy an album, and really, I'm not suggesting that you should. But Who We Are is a disc that does manage to combine some rather immediate pop hooks with the work of a gifted vocalist and some subtleties that sink in later, plus a few genuine musical surprises that hit you right off the bat. The band's been wise enough to downplay their Creed-lite origins over the years - at this point it's only Jason's low vocal range that brings that accursed genre to mind, and since he's versatile enough to slip into a beautiful falsetto and sing the softer songs in a way that doesn't make him sound all constipated like on of those misspelled-past-tense-verb flavor-of-the-month bands circa 2002, Lifehouse just barely manages to escape their predicted short shelf-life. They may never write another "Hanging by a Moment" for the remainder of their career, but they still know a good pop hook when they hear one, and they know how to deliver it with convincing energy that, just for a few minutes, makes me want to ignore some of their less egregious cliches. This only slightly tips the balance toward "above average", but coming on the heels of an album rated two stars, that's honestly quite a relief.

This new album is also assisted greatly by the fact that Jason Wade just plain seems to be in a better mood. You'll find some of the similar "God help me because I'm stumbling in a spiritual darkness" themes that were mined on their first two albums, but you'll also find a lot of relationship-driven songs about learning to love again, and those actually play well following the pessimistic songs on Lifehouse that seemed to have been triggered by a bad breakup. With one feisty exception (which actually turns out to be the most strikingly good rock song Lifehouse has come up with in years), positive emotions abound on this album, and that's kind of a relief at this point. Since Jason's a convincing enough vocalist to pull off emotions ranging from peaceful to genuinely p*ssed off, I'd say that it's better to hear both sides from the band, even if the one song here that does sound genuinely p*ssed off feels totally out of place. Hey, at least I know that than can still throw a few curveballs, right?

Disarray
I faced my demons, wrestling these angels to the ground
And all that I could find
Was a thin line between all the saints and villains
It was crossed in my own mind...
The lead track shows us that Lifehouse has learned to fix what they broke - it's a rock anthem in the vein of some of the best tracks from the first two albums. Actually, they almost fixed things a little too well - if Jason's fiercely catchy delivery of a chorus that's all about not knowing which way's up in the spiritual sense and yet being content to let the mystery be a mystery sounds familiar to you, it's because this track is basically Stanley Climbfall's "Spin" all over again. While I can't give the band much credit for originality here, at least it's a spirited performance of a solidly written (if typically vague on a familiar subject) song that does a nice job of telling us that this album won't repeat the boredom of the previous one.

First Time
Looking at you, holding my breath
For once in my life, I'm scared to death
I'm taking a chance letting you inside...
Next up is a punchy little love song, which you've probably heard either on the radio or in some commercial for big old Dodge trucks that they're trying to advertise to tough macho dudes who probably don't listen to Lifehouse. Anywayyyyy... This one feels dangerously close to a musical retread of the song that preceded it at first (which itself was dangerously close to ripping off an earlier song), but with a different subject this time - it's about two people, both of whom have been hurt by former lovers, finding the will to trust each other and take that risk and begin a new relationship, and the scary, giddy feelings that come along with that. It's one of those tracks that feels really damn good to belt out at the top of your lungs the way Jason does - he was born to sing those soaring choruses, and the little bit of falsetto during the bridge reminds us that he's a versatile vocalist working in a somewhat limited genre. This one seemed like the type of song Lifehouse could write in their sleep when I first heard it, but I've grown to appreciate the little extra insight that sets it apart from your usual happy-go-lucky love song.

Whatever It Takes
Don't hide the broken parts that I need to see
She said, like it or not, it's the way it's gotta be
You gotta love yourself if you can ever love me...
Now we're getting more into the territory of average love songs, as the band slows down the tempo and adds an acoustic layer for this well-meaning, but ultimately run-of-the-mill song about doing everything in your power to keep a relationship together. Musically, it's a decent enough bland of the band's sensitive side (the acoustic verses) and their powerhouse rock side (the big, declarative chorus), and sure, what else is new, but it kind of works. Lyrics are where they fall down bigtime here, relying on "lost without you" and "I know I've let you down" and other such clichés that serve to make a heartfelt promise sound like a rather superficial one that required little thought. Still, the song's not without its thoughtful moments, particularly the point where the Jason is reminded by this person that it won't do him much good trying to love her if he can't love himself. I'll grant marginal points for that, but this could have been a much better song overall.

Who We Are
Struggling with my thoughts
Change the locks inside my head
Reading in between the lines
Of what you say and what you said...
The title track appears to go for an offbeat approach at first, with its quick acoustic strum and a rhythm that sounds like somebody's hands slapping against their knees, but it's not long before the band's poppy post-grunge default sound takes over. This one's basically about how adversity helps to shape our identity, which is a theme that the band sort of explored toward the end of the last album, but in songs that most of us didn't want to pay attention to, so I guess I'm thankful that they improved the music, even if they went more predictable with this one than its intro led me to expect. As catchy as the chorus is, the tired old metaphors about how "We BREAK! And we BEND!" and so forth aren't really an example of Jason's songwriting at its best.

Broken
And I still see your reflection inside my eyes
They're looking for purpose, they're still looking for life
Hey, speaking of tired old metaphors about being broken... here's another song that's all about that. It's also about some of Jason's other favorite cliché subjects, such as breathing. And despite all that, I kind of like it. It may have something to do with the way that the acoustic guitar gently ticks away the rhythm, or the sensitive strings that add to the lonely calm that characterizes the song (despite strings in mellow rock songs being a gi-normous cliché in and of themselves). Maybe it's nice to see the band return to more direct hints at their faith being the way out of the ever-present identity crisis in their songs, such as the line in the chorus that states, "In your name, I find meaning". Then again, that's another colossal cut-and-paste sentiment used by tons of Christian bands, so I'm honestly not sure what I enjoy so much about this one, but what the heck, I kinda like it. Perhaps it's Jason's enunciation that amuses me. Right before the final chorus, when he mumbles his way through the line, "I may have lost my way now", I could have sworn the first few times I heard it that he was singing, "I may have lost my wiener". But wait, this is supposed to be a serious song... so that can't be it.

The Joke
I wear my team around my neck
I love 'em so much, gonna love 'em to death tonight...
Here comes the big jolt - the moment where you wake up and start to think that just maybe Lifehouse has a little more on their mind than vaguely hopeful songs about solving your internal existential crises and falling in love. This one's a dark, angular rocker about a boy who decides to quite suicide, likely due to the verbal abuse he's taken from so many other people - it's the disturbing reflection of previous characters like "Simon" or "Quasimodo" who got beaten up by the world, but managed to brush themselves off and keep going. It opens immediately with its sharp, yelping chorus - "When you find me in the morning, hanging on a warning... oh, the joke is on you!" It's a sinister way of saying that this character who is about to hang himself will get the last laugh... and dude, what is this doing on a Lifehouse album? I see it as a bit of a cautionary tale, actually, which is part of why the music is all urgent and jagged and bouncy instead of being all dark and brooding like every song Staind ever wrote (you can even detect a bit of Beach Boys in the melody and the background vocals during the bridge, perversely enough). It's kind of saying, "This is what happens to people when you treat them like they're worthless, so maybe think twice about it." And while it's easy to let the more easy-going bridge go by without the lyrics jumping out at you, that's actually the point where Jason allows his character to have second thoughts - "My great escape is my biggest mistake. I think you better turn around, don't throw it all away." Still, that doesn't stop the rest of the song from being a bit unsettling, and I'm thrilled that Lifehouse could actually find it in themselves to unsettle their listeners a bit - it certainly wasn't something that I expected from them at this point.

Easier to Be
Chasing fireflies, elusive dreams
This pre-life crisis is killing me
Beautiful tragedy
Who I was wasn't me...
Well, it's time to settle back down into easygoing adult contemporary mode, which I'll admit I have a tough time doing after that last track, which may as well have been dropped in from a parallel universe, as much as it fits the rest of the album. Anyway, a gentle "Oooh" follows along with the guitar riff that opens this song, providing a halfway decent hook that makes the ride through this lyrical clunker a little bit smoother. I suppose you could argue that these lyrics, about a guy who is thanking some friend for being understanding and allowing him to be itself, are the peaceful conclusion to the previous song, the voice of reason and acceptance that stopped that desperate soul from committing suicide. But the lyrics are a little too generic and Hallmark card-ish for me to really care either way.

Make Me Over
Empty smile, naked heart
Who I was falls apart when you're here inside of me...
Jason remains in his gentlest mode, vocally speaking, as the tempo creeps back up a bit for a song about how falling in love with somebody changes you. Of course he's talking about a makeover of the soul - as funny as it is to picture Jason as some hapless contestant on an episode of Beauty and the Geek who just returned from a whirlwind trip to some Beverly Hills boutique he'd never even heard of, that's not what we're talking about here. (This section of the album sort of bores me a bit, so I have to entertain myself somehow.) All of the edges feel softened on this one - the guitars are electric but their touch is light, the drums are up-beat but there's not a lot of force behind them, etc. It beats the self-titled album's sound in terms of melody, but definitely not in terms of staying power.

Mesmerized
Sever the skies, bury the truth, forget the time
These were the years we tried to leave behind
Whatever we are, I still remember the way we were...
The third light-hearted tune in a row really tests the listener's patience with another careful, easygoing intro, but there's a certain movement to this track that makes it stand out a little more to me - it's tough to explain, but something that Rick is doing with the drums elevates it above the ho-hum. Jason's composed a melody that meanders up and down rather sweetly, and perhaps it's the ability to avoid the predictable notes in that department that works for me. (It's actually strangely reminiscent of Kevin Max's song "Stay (The Same as Yesterday)".) The lyrics are about as romantic as Lifehouse gets, describing simple moments spent with someone you love, such as watching a sunrise, where time just stops and you're completely absorbed in someone other than yourself. It's not profound, but it is pretty.

Bridges
Our common ground was broken long ago
What slipped through the cracks, I fear we'll never know
I'll walk you through the graveyard of my mind
Show you a love that I buried alive...
OK, we're getting back to the post-grunge grind now. This one brings me back to some of the better mid-tempo rockers from No Name Face, but it's also clever enough to switch to a straight-ahead upbeat tempo (like that of the song "Who We Are") during the verses, so you've really got a synthesis of two song styles here, and it works well enough. The lyrics express a bit of frustration on Jason's part, but also a bit of confession, as he makes what might perhaps be a vain attempt to reconcile with an old friend or lover, someone he knows that he intentionally did as much damage to as they did to him. "We both lit the match that burned the bridge" is the central metaphor here, and I'd say that's a well-written and descriptive phrase that sums up the whole song and makes it stand out from the mellower tunes surrounding it.

Learn You Inside Out
Instead of hiding my face
My mind's in your eyes
Can your love embrace me as I am?
Here's another unusual one for Lifehouse - sure, it's another love song, but it's a tipsy little piano ballad in 3/4 time, that has a magical, chimey sort of mood to it. Jason whips out his falsetto once again for the wonderfully strange melody of the verses, and despite the experimentation, there's a very straightforward desire expressed here - he wants to know the person he loves so well that there's no question in her mind that she's understood and accepted. I love how there's absolutely nothing grungy about this song, how it's mellow and romantic and yet not your typical adult contemporary love song. Lifehouse has still got a little bit of versatility hiding behind the safe pop/rock sound they're mostly known for these days, and it's little touches like that which have kept me a fan despite my criticisms.

Storm
I know you didn't bring me out here to drown
So why am I ten feet under and upside down
Barely surviving has become my purpose
'Cause I'm so used to living underneath the surface...
I knew from the first time I heard this surprisingly understated tune (which has apparently been hanging around since the days of Blyss) that it would likely become a favorite with the Christian segment of Lifehouse's audience. It's about as blatantly religious as the band gets, in much the same way that "Everything" was on No Name Face - Lifehouse never gets super-specific, but you can tell what they mean based on the obvious metaphors about someone turning the storms and darkness to clear skies and light. It actually starts off with Jason voice hanging out in empty space - he handles the first verse acapella, with very subtle piano and background ambience creeping in during the chorus, and not much more than that for the entire length of the song. On the one hand, I appreciate this unorthodox approach because it's not the expected "power ballad", but on the other hand, the melody here is pretty dull, the lyrics are nothing that I would let your average CCM band get away with, and the song really needs something more inventive to make the minimalism work. I do appreciate the attempt to make such a transparent admission of weakness and the need for faith in God, but I except Christian artists playing to a Christian crowd to do so with a little more creativity, so I have to expect the some of a Christian artist playing to a mainstream crowd.

It's kind of weird to come up with so many criticisms of this album that seem like I'm being very hard on the band, and then turn around and award Who We Are four stars - it's really three and a half, just barely teetering on that edge where I'm tempted to lower it to the average grade of three stars, but I can't say it's that unremarkable. I do enjoy it enough that I think it was worth the purchase. I think that existing Lifehouse fans who enjoyed their first two albums will get a lot out of it, and I don't expect that it will appeal to much of anyone else who isn't already among the converted, except for a few casual Top 40 radio fans here and there. So I guess that's my cautious recommendation to pop/rock fans who are less picky than I am, and my way of saying to everyone else that if you skip this, you don't have to feel like you're missing too much.

ALBUM WORTH:
Disarray $1.50
First Time $1.50
Whatever It Takes $.50
Who We Are $1
Broken $1.50
The Joke $1.50
Easier to Be $.50
Make Me Over $.50
Mesmerized $1
Bridges $1
Learn You Inside Out $1.50
Storm $.50
TOTAL: $13.50

Band Members:
Jason Wade: Lead vocals, guitars
Bryce Soderberg: Bass
Rick Woolstenhulme: Drums

Website: http://www.lifehousemusic.com

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Driving